Temporal meter.



, T. W. KELTON.

TEMPORAL METER.

APPLICATION HLED APR. 1], 1915.

1,163,091. Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

Inventor Witnesses Attorneys PATENT ornion.

TI-IADDEUS W. KELTON, OF VAN BUREN, ARKANSAS.

TEMPORAL METER.

Specification of App1ication filed April 17 To all whom it may concern:

front view of the indicator, portions being Be it known that I, THADDEUS 1V. KEL- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Van Buren,in the county of Crawford and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Temporal Meter, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to a temporal meter, and aims to provide a novel and improved appliance of that character for registering or indicating the amount of contraction of the temporal or the attrahens aurem muscles, or any other muscles, vessels,-ligaments,'nerves, or the like, situated in the region of the temporal fossa.

The present temporal meter is adapted for use by physicians and dentists, and may be used by dentists in making artificial plates,

crowns and bridgework, inthat the present device may be employed for determining the natural position of the jaws when the teeth are disposed in natural occlusion, and furthermore, the present instrument may be em- ,ployed by physicians and dentists in cases of fractureof the lower mandible or upper Yaw or in an other case where it is desired to place the teeth in occlusion.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a temporal meter embodying novel means for applying the meter to the head, and having novel means for operating an indicator by the movement ofthe temporal muscles.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, theinvention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the .details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the temporal meter. Fig. 2 is a'front View thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken approxi mately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, parts be ing shown in full. Fig. 4 is an enlarged broken away.

In carrying out the invention, there is providedan indicator 1, embodying a circular case 2, which is carried by a frame which is applicable to the head of a patient.

Lett r P n Patented Dec. *7, 1915.

, 1915. Serial No. 22,201.

This frame embodies a longitudinal curved or arched spring 3 adapted to pass over the crown of the head, and having its forward end secured to the back of the case 2, the forward end of the spring 3-carrying a curved plate or strip 4 adapted to rest snugly against the forehead. The rear or free end of the spring 3 carries a curved plate or strip 5 adapted to rest against the back of the head, the spring 3 being flexible in order to adjust itself to the head of the patient, and to hold the frame in place upon the head. The frame also includes a trans verse wire or rod 6 soldered or otherwise secured to the back of the case 2 and project-,

ing laterally to opposite sides, the end portions 7 of the wire or rod6 projecting angularly rearward and the ends of the rod being soldered or otherwise secured to pieces 8 which are in turn soldered or otherwise secured to the end portions of'an arch 9 passing over the intermediate portion of the spring 3 and adapted to be disposed over the head of the wearer.

The frame carries movable actuating means, and to this end, the end portions or limbs of the arch 9 are provided with short inwardly projecting portions 10, to which actuating levers 11 are fulcrumed. The levers 11 have relatively long forwardly pro jecting arms and relatively short rearwardly projecting arms, and the short or rear arms of the levers 11 are provided at their free ends with transverse bearings 12 through which transverse adjusting rods 13 are slidable. -Buttons 14: are carried by the inner or adjacent end of the adjusting rods 13, and set screws 15 are carried by the bearings 12 for clamping the rods 13 at various positions, it being noted that the rods 13 are adjustable transversely of they levers 11..

The buttons 14 are adapted to rest against the temporal muscles, or other movable muscles, vessels, ligaments,.nerves and the like, which are to be used as a basis of operation. c a 7 The levers 11 are operatively connected to the indicator l, and this indicator is provided with a pair of indicating or registering devices. Thus, the face plate roof the indicator case 2 isprovided with a pair of indicating and registering dials 17 thereon, and a pair of arbors or shafts 18 are journaled through the face plate 16 at the centers of the respective dials 17. Pointers 19 are carried by the forward ends of the arbors 18 and cooperate with the respective dials, the dials being suitably graduated for the intended purposes. Each of the arbors 18 carries a relatively small pinion 20 with in the case 2, which intermeshes with a rela tively large gear wheel 21 carrying a relatively small gear wheel 22. The relatively small gear wheel 22 intermeshes with a gear segment 23 carried by a lever 24 fulcrumed within the case 2. Thus, each of the pointers 19 is actuated by a gear slight or imperceptible movement of the levers 24: will impart a relativelyla-rge and noticeable movement to the pointers19, in order that the readings may betaken accurately or. with precision. The levers 2 1 project from the bottom or periphery of the case 2, andare operatively connected to the free ends of the long arms of the levers 11, by means'of wire links :25 whichare terminally pivoted-to the levers 24 and 11. The lower or'free ends'of the levers Z l-are normally' separated by means of leaf springs 26 secured within the'case and engaging the 25 levers 24. The case 2 is providedwith a stop 2? therein for limiting the movement of the levers 24 under the influence of the springs 26 whereby when the partsare released, the springs 26 will return the two 30 indicating devices to normal position, and

the levers 24: being swung to normalposition, will also swing the levers 11 to normal position through the medium of the links 25. The levers 24 being normally separated will swing the long arms of the levers 11 away from each other, and thereby swing "the short arms of the levers'll' toward one another to move the buttons-14 inwardly.

In use, the frame is applied to the head of 40 the patient, by placing the spring 3 over the head, and'the spring 3 in contracting will hold the frame in place upon the head with thearch 9' straddling the head and holding the actuating devices in cooperative 4 relation with the temporal muscles. The rods 13 are then adjusted or set properly so that the buttons 14 bear properly against the temporal muscles, in order that the indicator will be properly operated by the'temples. The parts are so set, that when the temporal muscles are contracted, as when biting with the jaws, the buttons .14 will be separated or moved outwardly, which -willswing the levers 11 to thereby transmit the motion to thelevers 2 1 of the indicating devices to. thereby move the pointers 19 upon the indicating dials or scales 17. Men the temporal muscles. return to normal position, the springs 26 of the indicator 69 will return the parts back to initial position,

'and in this manner, the patient under instructions from the dentist or physician will operate the indicator for determining the data desired, according to the nature of the operation or work to be done.

train, so that a In using the instrument, it is preferably set so that a greatest amount of movement of the indicator pointers is had, when the mouth is opened and closed, and it will be understood that the present appliance may be applied to the head so as to be operated by the muscles or other suitable elements of the head which are to be used as a basis of operation.

The present physicians and dentists when it is desired to place the teeth in occlusion, and for similar purposes. The dentist will find the present meter of advantage in the construction of artificial plates, crowns and bridgework, since the presentcontrivance will readily enable the dentist to determine the natural position of the jaws when the teeth are closed in natural occlusion. The device may also be used by physicians and dentists in cases of fracture of the lower mandible'or upper jaw, or in any cases,when it is desired to place the teeth in occlusion. In cases of indentulous months in" order to find the proper contraction of the mouth, the mouth is built up by rubber bite plates until the proper distance is found which places the jaws in normal occlusion. It is believed that. the other advantages and capabilities of the present appliance will be obvious to those skilled in the art, without further comment being necessary.

' It will be noted that the two indicating dedevice is especially useful for vices are operated independently by the actuating devices, whereby the variation of the movement between the temporal muscles may be detected, or whereby an average may be struck between the movements of the temporal muscles.

Another feature of the invention resides inthe fact that should the jaws be moved outward or sidewise to an unnatural biting position, there will be little, if any movement of the indicating devices, present meter is not liable to be misleading in its indications? p Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the character described,

a frame applicable to the head, an indicator carried by the frame, and actuating means carried by the frame and operatively connected to the'indicator, said actuating means being applicable to the temples or other parts of the head to be operated by the movement of the muscles covering such parts.

2. In a a frame applicable to the head, an indicator carried by the frame, and an actuating lever carried by the frame and operatively connected with the indicator, said lever beingapplicable to the temples or other parts of the head to be operated by the movement of the muscles covering such parts.

so that the device of thecharacter described,

3. In a device of the character described, a frame applicable to the head and including an arch, an indicator carried by the frame, and movable members carried by the ends of the arch and applicable to the temples or other parts of'the head to be operated by the movement of the muscles covering such parts, the indicator having a 7 pair of indicating devices to which said members are respectively operatively connected. a

.4:- In a device of the character described, a frame embodying an arch and an arched spring, the end portions of the spring having means to bear against the forehead and In testimony that I claim the foregoing I as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

THADDEUS W. KELTON Witnesses:

R N. BURLINGAME, Gno. HAWKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. C," 

